1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of window shade assemblies. More particularly, the invention relates to an improved window shade assembly having a hold down feature which can be raised or lowered by either a use of lift cords or through direct manual movement of the bottomrail.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Window shade assemblies are typically operated by having one or more lift cords being connected at one end to the window shades or to a bottomrail connected to the window shades and having the other ends which extend out of the shade being accessible to the operator. The lift cords typically travel through or along a headrail. The window shades are typically raised by the operator pulling on the accessible portion of the lift cords and are lowered by allowing the weight of the shades to pull the lift cords back into the shades. When the operator has moved the shade to a desired position, the lift cords are held in place so that the shade will remain in the chosen position after the operator has let go of the lift cords. Various types of cord locking devices are used for this purpose.
The prior art of the window shade industry teaches "hold down" type arrangements in which the bottomrail may be locked or snapped into position relative to the window frame. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,727,921 to Vecchairelli teaches a venetian type window shade assembly that may be raised and lowered through the use of lift cords. The bottomrail is provided with studs which may be snapped into apertures in the sidewalls of the window frame, such that the bottomrail is locked into place when the studs are thus snapped into the apertures. Vecchairelli provides the use of lift cords to raise and lower the shade. When it is desired to raise the shade, the bottomrail studs are removed from the apertures.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,069,264 to Klawiter discloses another hold down type window shade arrangement in which a fixed bracket and a bottomrail are engageable to one another. When the bottomrail and hold down bracket are so engaged, the window covering position is locked and the bottomrail may not be raised.
It is also known in the window shade industry to provide cords which are used to guide the window shade (these cords are referred to as "guide cords"). These guide cords are typically connected to the headrail and extend downward, passing through the bottomrail, before connecting to the surrounding window frame. The guide cords are then placed under tension so that the bottomrail may be raised and lowered directly by manual movement of the bottomrail in which the position of the bottomrail is held by friction between the guide cords and the bottomrail.
It is also generally known in the prior art that some windows, such as the type mounted in various vans, campers and recreational vehicles have a plastic frame which encircles the window. The plastic frames then have holes or indentations provided on them. Guide cords are attached at their ends to plastic anchors which are then affixed to this plastic frame at the time of window installation. The guide cords are thus held in position by the plastic anchors. This type of window assembly provides no means for releasing the plastic anchors except through disassembly of the window assembly by prying out the anchor from the frame. Movement of the bottomrail does not disattach the anchors from the frame.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,865,108 to Hennequin et al. discloses a frame for window shade assembly that provides a number of passageways through the headrail and siderails for cords to pass therethrough. This, according to Hennequin et al., permits a degree of variability for the actuation of the shade. Thus, different actuation means could alternatively be installed during assembly, or the type of actuation means could be changed after assembly. Hennequin et al. do not, however, allow for different actuation means to be simultaneously employed in the window shade assembly.
Thus, there is a need in the prior art to provide a window shade assembly in which alternative actuation means are provided within a single assembled window shade assembly. In particular, it is desirable for a window shade assembly to have a lift cord actuation as well as a direct manual manipulation of the bottomrail.
Such alternative actuation means are desirable for, among other reasons, safety considerations. Lift cords provide an attractive nuisance to young children who may all too frequently be strangled or otherwise injured on the lift cords. A design having alternative actuation means would allow for lift cord operation when no children are present but would also allow for the lift cord to be tied back or otherwise removed from accessibility when children are present in which the shade assembly may still be operated by direct manual movement of the bottomrail.